Bengaluru govt has zero tolerance against drug abuse: Home Minister

The government has zero tolerance towards drug use and peddling, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Friday.

Taking part at an International Day Against Drug Abuse event at the state police headquarters, Bommai discussed with the police top brass the strict measures to put an end to narcotics. Speaking to reporters, the minister elaborated on the different ways of drug peddling in the state, how people get addicted and indulge in criminal activities to get money, and its impact on their family. He also inspected some of the drugs seized by the police.

In 2019, the state saw as many as 1,661 cases pertaining to drug peddling. This year, the number of cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act had already reached 842 until May.

Senior police officers have asked the public to use the toll-free number 1098 to complain about drug peddlers and users, and promised to keep the identity of the informer confidential.

State police chief Praveen Sood, city police chief Bhaskar Rao, and Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Patil were among those present.